one pan baked tomato feta shrimp
I’ll take any excuse I have to grill some bread.
Naturally, the skies were overcast and the weather bizarre all morning when I cooked and shot this dish. We enjoyed some morning rain, which was a welcome reprieve from over a week straight of heat advisories and excessive heat warnings. Immediately when I finished up doing what I could do with the styling, the clouds broke and the sun burst right through the cavernous haze. Go figure.
But even though I wrestled with the photos for half the day, I loved the dish too much to not share it. After all, atmospheric conditions are unpredictable, and I’m probably being harder on myself than the occasion warrants.
Mom’s birthday was Tuesday, and I cooked up a variety of this Baked Tomato Feta Shrimp for her celebratory lunch – using mahi mahi instead of shrimp. So, I can attest that variants taste just as swell as the written recipe with shrimpies.
This supple, vibrant dinner all comes together in one dish (or a skillet!), and couples sweet and herby roasted tomatoes with plump shrimp, a smattering of feta, and of course our prototypical greenery array that, for me, involves basil and oregano. The flavors are inspired by Greek shrimp saganaki, a hearty stew-like concoction that begs for grilled bread or pita to scoop up the wonderful sauce. All said and done, supper is ready in about 45 minutes. Score!
Tomato Time
I’ve been roasting tomatoes all summer, and this method is quite familiar if you’ve made any of my blistered tomato recipes. Here, however, we add a little white balsamic vinegar and cinnamon to create a depth of Greek flavor.
Toss all those beautiful cherry tomatoes in a casserole dish or a cast iron skillet with plenty of olive oil, the aforementioned flavorings, garlic cloves, fresh oregano, and a touch of fig jam. Oh, and salt and pepper. Stir all this around to properly coat the tomatoes and pop in the oven to bubble and burst. The tomatoes will turn saucy and wrinkly, releasing their voluptuous juices.
Okay, that sounded kind of cringe. Disregard.
Grapes tomatoes are also acceptable in this recipe, FYI.
Shrimple Dimples
The recipe card below calls for “colossal shrimp.” These terms (large, jumbo, extra large, colossal, etc.) are not consistent between brands, but each shrimp bag does have a number that correlates with its implied size. So when I write “colossal,” the shrimp you’re looking for are the 13-15 count per pound.
Make sure you dry off your shrimpies very well with paper towels, else any seasoning you toss them with will just slide right off. Drizzle with oil and stir around with fresh oregano, smoked paprika, and some salt and pepper. Not much is needed here, but boy oh boy does it add a lot to your finished pot.
Pull the tomatoes from the oven and arrange the shrimp overtop. Sprinkle with plenty of feta cheese. I cubed mine, but you can crumble it if you wish.
Throw everything back in the oven for about 10 minutes longer, up to 12 if your shrimp are particularly stubborn. I like to switch my broiler on during the last couple minutes to give a little bit of blackening to the tips of the ‘maters and shrimp.
Crusty bread of some kind is a must for serving, or at the very least a nice blob of orzo or another pasta. Something to soak up the juices. Yesterday’s Italian Chopped Olive salad would be a fabulous side dish. Italian and Greek have a good deal of flavor crossover, so it makes sense, right?
Tried this recipe out? Leave a rating and comment below with your thoughts, and don’t forget to come say hi on Instagram and show me what you made!
Be a simple kind of shrimp:
Grilled Hot Chile Shrimp Skewers with Avocado Ranch
20 Minute Spicy BBQ Shrimp Rice Bowls
One Skillet Lemon White Wine Shrimp and Orzo
one pan baked tomato feta shrimp
Ingredients
- 4 cups cherry tomatoes
- 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup white balsamic vinegar
- 2 tbsp fig jam (or honey)
- 6 cloves garlic, peeled
- 3 tbsp fresh oregano, chopped
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1 lb colossal shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1/2 cup feta cheese, cubed or crumbled
- fresh herbs and crusty bread, to serve
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Lightly grease a 9 x 13 inch casserole dish.
- In the dish, combine the tomatoes, garlic cloves, olive oil, white balsamic vinegar, fig jam, 2 tablespoons of the oregano, cinnamon, and a big pinch of salt and pepper. Roast for 20 minutes until starting to burst, stirring halfway through roasting time.
- Pat the shrimp very dry and add to a large bowl. Toss with 1 tablespoon olive oil, the remaining 1 tablespoon oregano, the smoked paprika, red pepper flakes, and a big pinch of salt and pepper.
- Remove the tomatoes from the oven. Arrange the shrimp in the sauce, then sprinkle with feta cheese. Roast 10-12 minutes longer until the shrimp are opaque.
- Serve warm with crusty bread and fresh herbs, as desired.
